Cornet



J. W. CALDERWOOD.

CORNET. APPLICATION FILED JULY 30. 1918.

Patented June 15, 1920.

gramnsw. oannnnwoon, or WASHINGTON, nrs'raro'r or COLUMBIA.

' Spe at n of Letters t. Patented J une'15- 1920.

v Application filed July 30: 1918. Serial No. 247,362.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES W. CALDER- Woon, a citizen ofGreat Britain, residing at Vashington, in the .District' of Columbia, have invented new and useful improvements on the musical instrument known as the cornet and all such kindred instruments requiring the operation and use of valves and pistons,of,which the following is a specifi-" cation. I v I This inventlon relates to improvements in the cornet and all such kindred instruments operated by the use of valves and pistons;

and the objects of my improvements are, first, to provide a comet and all similar in-.

struments with a straightpassage through the valve tube, valve casings and pistons; second, a system of valves so constructed as to render the pistons interchangeable;- and third, to reduce, as -far as possible, all re-.

I sistance through the: entire instrument, so

through the same valve by means of more or lesssinuous ports before progressing on out I springs.

that the tone will be of the same clearness,

whether in the case of open tones or when one or more valves are in use.

The present prevailing system of valves is not constructed in such a manner as to allow a free straight passage .foropen tones or tones whichido not require theuse of one or more valves, whereas my invention provides an absolutelystraight passage through the valves thereby offering no resistance to open tone production. The present prevailmg system of valves is constructed in such a manner that sounds must pass in through the valve, progress into the valve tubing,

and tuning slide and thence back into and through the bell of the instrument. The consequent resistance to tone and tone production is very considerable, the volume and quality of the tone suffering radically. Three-port valves are usually required to accomplish this,-whereas, in'my invention, the which conveys the.

valve has but one port tone straight through the valve to a point beyond the valve casing from which it Each piston in my invention has but one port. The presentprevailing system of valves is so constructed that'each valve has its relative piston, and each differs from the other to such' an extent that they are not interchangeable. V WVhereas, my

I invention provides valves in which the pistons are interchangeable, the three pistons beingalike I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in p which Figure 11 represents the above improvements applied to the cornet; Fig. 2 represents a section on line;2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3'is'a rear elevation of piston; Fig. 4

represents a cross section of the valve case ings taken above the crooks. I

In the case of open tones, the progression is from A t'oX,the-tubing and valve ports forming an absolutely straight passage.

* The use of the first valve creates a progression from Ato as follows :A to B, thence from B through tuning slide 6 at a point immediately preceding the; second valve casing, thence to X and onout through the bell. i .7

The use of the secondvalve. creates a similarprogression from,A to X. which is as follows: from A to 1st valve, thence through first valve and through tube at C, thenceto D, thence through slide d to tube E, at -a point immediately preceding the thirdvalve gasin'g, thence to X and on outthrough the el. r The use of the third valve creates a progressionfrom A to X, as follows: from A straight through the first and second valves, thence to' F, thence through tuning slide 7 to G, at a point close to and after the third valve casing, thence into tube H, thence to X and on out through the bell.

It is not essential that the tuning slides of the valves should conform to any particular curvature, angle of curvature or adjustment of position. The prime essential being that the outlet of each valve be made at 13,1) and F respectively, the last named points C, F and G to be so related as to carry the tone produced to a point beyond the valveor valves used in the production of said tone.

Quick change systems in use can be adapted to this valve system, whereby changes in fundamental pitch from A to B and C are made and vice versa; also this valve system admits the use of low and highpitch slides.

. I am aware that various modifications and alterations of the resent invention, of which the single form erein described and illustrated is believed to be the best embodiment of my invention, are possible. I,

therefore do not desire to limit the present invention except as recited in the appended claims.

I claim;

1. A cornet or similar musical instrument having sinuous tubing, valves and crooks, a valve tube, valves interposed in said tube,

a crook communicating at one end with a first valve and at the other end with the valve tube at a point between said first valve and the next adjacent valve.

2. A cornet or similar musical instrument having sinuous tubing, valves and crooks, a valve tube, valves interposed in said tube, each valve comprising a valve casing and a piston slidably fitted therein; an inlet port and an outlet port in said valve casing, said ports being in axial alinement with and connected to said valve tube, a'third port in said valve casing, a crook communicating at one end with said third port and at the other end with the valve tube adjacent the said outlet port of the Valve casing.

8. A eornet or similar musical instrument having sinuous tubing, valves and crooks, a straight valve tube, valves interposed in said tube, a crook communicating at one end with a first valve, and at the otherend with the valve tube at a point between said first valve and the next adjacent valve.

4. A cornet or similar musical instrument having sinuous tubing, valves and crooks, a valve tube, valves interposed in said tube, each valve comprising a valve casing and a piston slidably fitted therein, an inlet port and an outlet port in said valve casing, said ports being in axial alinement with and connected to said valve tube, a third port in said valve casing, a crook communicating at one end with said third port, and at the other end with the valve tube adjacent the said outlet port of the valve easing,, means in said piston for establishing communication between said inlet and outlet ports when the valve is in normal position, and for establishing communication between said inlet port and said third port when piston is depressed in valve.

5. A valve for a cornet, comprising a valve casing, having a single inlet port and two outletports, a piston slidably fitted in said casing, and means in said piston for establishing communication between said inlet port and either of said outlet ports.

6. A valve for a comet, comprising a valve casing having a single inlet port and two outlet ports, a piston slidably fitted in said casings and having a single port adapted to register at all times with said inlet port and with either one of the said outlet ports.

7. A valve Wilve casing, said piston through.

8. A valve for a comet, comprising a valve casing, having a single inlet port and two outlet ports, a piston slidably fitted in said casing having a single port, the inlet end of last named port being elongated 1011- gitudinally to register at all times with said inlet port, and the outlet end of said last named port being elongated transversely of said piston to register with either of said outlet ports.

' JAMES W. CALDERWOQD.

for a cornet, comprising a a piston slidably fitted therein, havlng a slngle port there- 

